Printing machine



y 1934- w. K. ECKHARD 1,956,566

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1, 1934- w. K. ECKHARD 1,956,566

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m1 par 7 23L W QM W. K. ECKHARD PRINTING MACHINE May 1, 1934.

I Filed Sept. 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 2: RI v NTOR:

q w L y 1934. w. K. ECKHARD 1,956,566

PRINTING MACHINE Fi led Sept. 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- PRINTING MACHINE 'tion of New York;

receiver Irving Trust Company,

Application September 19, 1931, Serial No. 563,763

10 Claims.

My invention relates to printing machines of that class which is adapted to print a succession of separate sheets, and relates more particularly to mechanism used as a part of such printing machines for the purpose of guiding and locating the sheets of paper to be printed successively in exact position and delivering the same in such correct position to the printing couple.

In machines of the class referred to, the separate sheets of paper to be printed are fed successively from the pile on to narrow traveling aprons or tapes and by them carried toward the impression cylinder, where the forward edge of the sheet is seized by grippers and carried partly around the impression cylinder and between it and the form cylinder and finally to the delivery cylinder, where it is disposed of by suitable means. As the sheet is carried down by the tapes and is about to reach the gripping mechanism on the impression cylinder, it abuts against a series of stops or guides provided for the purpose and its forward travel is momentarily checked. During this extremely brief stoppage of the sheet of paper, it is acted on by friction wheels or the like, which draw the paper sideways against a lateral guide or stop, which, in connection with the stops or guides first above mentioned, registers or locates the paper exactly in a predetermined position, whereupon the stops and the laterally drawing friction wheels are raised sufficiently to clear the paper and allow it to be drawn around by the impression cylinder.

It has been found, however, extremely difiicult to accurately register the sheets of paper as they pass down toward the impression cylinder. The sheets are often of substantial size and of thin, delicate and flexible material, and they travel at a rapid rate, following each other closely, and it frequently happens that owing to the above circumstances and to the presence of currents of air, friction, or other causes, the sheet of paper, particularly the portion of the same away from the lateral guides and friction wheels above referred to, becomes wrinkled or out of its true location.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide simple and efficient means adapted to prevent the dislocation or disarrangement of the sheets of paper as above referred to, and provide that the same may always be in exact register and in a predetermined position at the moment when the same is released by the guiding mechanism and seized by the grippers on the impression cylinder.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part set forth in the following specification and in part will be obvious therefrom without being specifically pointed out, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and structural characteristics and relative arrangements and combinations which will be hereinafter more fully described or which will be pointed out inthe claims hereof.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, one embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in this specification.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is 'a fragmentary vertical section showing a portion of my invention, in connection with an impression cylinder and portions of the form cylinder and delivery cylinder of a printing machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the left-hand portion of Fig. 2, along the line 3'-3;

Fig. 4 is a similar vertical section of the righthand portion of Fig. 2, along the line 4--4;

Fig. 5 is a vertical view, partly in section, of the left-hand portion of Fig. 2, taken at right angles to Fig. 3 and in the direction shown by the arrow 5;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical view, partly in section, of the right-hand portion of Fig. 2, taken at right angles to Fig. 4 and in the direction shown by the arrow 7;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views hereinafter more fully described.

In carrying my invention into effect, in the embodiment thereof which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and fordescription in this specification, I provide a supporting frame for the movable and operative devices of the machine, which frame is shown only fragmentarily in the drawings, as it may be of the usual or any suitable type, as will be well understood, certain portions of this frame being designated 11. Journaled in this frame (see Fig. 1) are the impression cylin-' der 12, the form cylinder 13 and the delivery cylinder 14, all of which may be of the usual or any suitable construction and arrangement, as is well known in the art.

On the shaft 15 of the delivery cylinder is a cam 16, which operates a cam roller 17 located on the arm 18 borne by the shaft 19, which also bears an arm 20, to the outer end of which is pivotally connected a rod 21, which extends upwardly and operates certain of the registering and locating mechanism, as will be hereafter described. 'From the arm 20 extends downwardly a rod 22, controlled by spring or other suitable means tending to keep the cam roller 17 always in contact with the periphery of the cam 16. All of the above will be quite obvious from the illustration of the same in Fig. 1, and need not be here more fully described.

I also provide the following mechanism for feeding the sheets of paper, all of which is in a general way known to the prior art and need be but briefly described. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that a roller 23 is suitably journaled at each end in the frame of the machine, and that around this roller pass a series of feeding tapes 24. The other ends of these tapes of course are carried by a similar roller further back in the machine, not shown in the drawings, and which is driven by any suitable means. The tapes or belts 24 drive the roller 23, thereby also driving the gear-wheel 25, shown in the right-hand part of Fig. 2, which in turn drives the series of gear-wheels shown in operative connection therewith, thus conveying motion to the friction-wheels 29 and 50 hereinafter described, as will be well understood from the drawings.

The sheets of paper are carried by the tapes 24 from the paper supply to the registering and locating devices which more particularly form the subject of this invention, and which are now to be described. A sheet of paper is shown in the drawings and is designated 26. As it leaves the tapes 24, the paper passes upon a table, which may be formed, as usual, of parallel slats or strips 27, until stopped by the guides first above mentioned. At this moment the friction alignment rollers 28 and 29 (see Figs. 4 and 7) grip the paper (acting upon the same through an opening 30 in the slat 31-see Fig. 8) and draw it sideways and into contact with the lateral guide or stop 32. This action occupies but a very short time, however, and when the paper has been drawn into proper register the alignment roller 28 is raised away from the paper, the front guides or stops are removed, and the paper is seized by the grippers 33 on the impression cylinder (see Fig. 1) and carried around for printing. All of the above has been described merely in order that the cooperation of the same with the particular devices which form the essence of my present invention may be better understood, but no detailed description of the same has been given, for the reason that the said devices are well known in the prior art and it is thought that a mere mention of the same will serve to bring the matter clearly before the mind of the reader.

The particular devices which constitute the novel features of the mechanism here illustrated and described, and which embody the inventive idea herein described, are best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be seen that a ball 35 is loosely held in a socket 36, which has an upwardly projecting stem 37 which is adjustably secured in a slot 38 in a bracket 39 by the lock nut 42. This bracket 39 extends laterally from a vertical member 40 which is slidable vertically ina stationary member 41. The vertical motion of the member 40 is controlled by a rod 43 bearing a washer 44 which abuts against the lower end of the member 40. The rod 43 bears at its upper end a lock nut 45, and between this look nut and an annular shoulder midway the length of the member 40 is a spring 46, which depresses the member 40 against the washer 44 and thereby keeps the bracket and the ball 35 carried thereby in their lowered position except when they are raised by the rod 43. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the rod 43 is controlled by an arm 4'1 on the shaft 48, which is operated by an arm 49, which is raised or lowered by the rod 21, which is operatively connected with the cam 16, as already described.

In Fig. 3 the ball 35 is shown restingupon a sheet of paper 26. The ball is not positively pressed upon the paper, but rests upon it merely by its own weight, and exercises a slight but suificient checking influence upon the paper, the same being merely in the nature of a steadying influence, tending to prevent any irregular action or displacement which might serve to disturb the adjustment or alignment of the outer edge of the paper, that is to say, the edge opposite to the edge which is acted on by the alignment friction wheels 28 and 291 It will be observed that the action of the ball 35 upon the paper is but momentary. During the greater part of the operation of the machine, and while the paper is being fed down into position, the full circumference or periphery of'the cam 16 is engaged with the cam roller 17, and, as will be obvious from a study of Fig. 1, this insures, through the arms and rods therein shown, that the bracket 39 and the ball 35 are normally raised somewhat above the level of the paper, so that the same comes down into position free from any pressure from the ball. At the last moment, however, when the paper is almost in position and when the alignment wheels 28 and 29 are about to seize the paper and draw it up against the lateral guide, the indented portion of the cam 16 comes into operation, and, through the mechanism above described, allows the bracket 39 and ball 35 to descend so that the ball rests upon the paper and steadies the same, preventing any wrinkling or disarrangement of the same and permitting an absolutely accurate adjustment and registration of the paper to be effected. This occupies but an instant of time, however, and then the cam has passed around so as to elevate the cam roller 17 and arm 18, and, through the connecting mechanism above referred to, the friction roller 28 on the one side and the ball 35 on the other are elevated, the front stops withdrawn out of the path of the paper, and the grippers 33 caused to act upon the same, drawing the paper around into the printing couple and finally releasing the same for delivery from the machine, in a manner which will be well understood. All of the above manipulations are already well known, with the exception of the operation of the ball 35 and its connected parts, and therefore need not be described indetail.

It is sometimes desirable, when the paper is being fed on to the slats 27, to adjust it laterally over to the left-hand side of the machine in Fig. 1'.

2, and I have therefore provided that the friction Wheel 28 and its immediately accompanying supporting parts, shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4, may be removed from that position and transferred to an analogous position on the other side of the machine. A wheel analogous to the wheel 29 is permanently in position on the left-hand side of the machine, and is shown in Fig. 3 and designated 50, and therefore it is not necessary to move the wheel 29, but upon transferring and ar- 1 ranging the parts comprising the wheel 28, the

same then operates on the left-hand side of the machine in conjunction with the wheel 50. Of course when this is done, the ball 35 and its supporting bracket and other parts are similarly transferred from the left-hand side of the machine over to the right-hand side in Fig. 2, and the necessary connections made with the cam 16, whereupon the parts operate in a corresponding and analogous manner to that which has already been described.

In the accompanying drawings are shown various details of auxiliary devices for adjusting and regulating various positions, operations, &c., but as these are all obvious matters, many of which are already known in the prior art, it is not thought necessary to occupy time and space in describing the same.

So much has necessarily been said with regard to the operation of my invention, in connection with the above description of its construction, that it is not thought necessary to recapitulate the same here.

The advantages of the invention will also be obvious from what has been above said.

I do not limit myself to the particular detailsof construction set forth in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as the same refer to and set forth only one embodiment of the invention and. it is obvious that the same may be modified, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a printing machine adapted to operate on separate sheets of paper, registering and aligning means comprising the following elements in combination :v Means on one side of the machine adapted to draw a sheet of paper against a side registering means, and a resisting device reciprocatingly mounted on the other side of the machine and adapted to engage a sheet and maintain tension thereon when the same is.

the surface of a sheet of paper.

2. In a printing machine adapted to operate .on' separate sheets of paper, registering and aligning means comprising the following ele-- ments in combination: Means. on one side of the machine adapted to draw a sheet of paper against a side registering means, and a resisting device on the other side of the machine adapted to engage a sheet and maintain tension thereon when the same is acted upon by said drawing means, said resisting device comprising a ball and supporting means therefor adapted to permit said ball to lie upon the surface of a sheet of paper and to revolve freely as saidpaper passes thereunder, said supporting means' being reciprocatingly mounted on said printing machine.

3. In a. printing machine adapted to operate on separate sheets of paper, registering and aligning means comprising the following elements in combination: Means on one side of the machine adapted to draw a sheet of paper against a side registering means, and a resisting device von the other side of the machine adapted to engage a sheet and maintain tension thereon when the same is acted upon by said drawing means, said resisting device comprising a ball and supporting means therefor adapted to permit said ball to lie upon the surface of a sheet of paper and to control the movement of said ball vertically at predetermined times, said supporting means being reciprocatingly mounted on said printing machine and interchangeable with an element of said first mentioned means.

4. In a printing machine adapted to operate on separate sheets of paper, registering and aligning means comprising the following elements in combination: Means on one side of the machine adapted to draw a. sheet of paper against a side registering means, and a resisting device on the other side of the machine adapted to engage a sheet and maintain tension thereon when the same is acted upon by said drawing means, said drawing means onone side of the machine and said resisting means on the other side of the machine being removably mounted in said machine and adapted to be interchanged one for the other when desired.

5. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pulling device adapted to engage a sheet near one side edge and move it against a stop, and a resisting device reciprocatingly movable to engage the sheet near its opposite edge.

6'. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pulling device adapted toengage a sheet near one side edge and move it against a stop, and a resisting device reciprocatingly movable to engage the sheet near its opposite edge while the pulling device is operating.

7. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pulling 1 device adapted to engage a sheet near one side edge and move it against a, stop,'a resisting device movable to engage the sheet near its opposite edge, and similar supports for the pulling and resisting devices; an element of the said pulling ,device being interchangeable with an element of the resisting device whereby the sheet can be registered at either side of the machine.

8. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pulling device adapted to engage a sheet near one side edge and move it against a stop, and a resisting device movable to engage the sheet near its opposite edge; said pulling device including rollers between which the sheet is engaged, said resisting device including an element freely rotatable in means adjustably secured to a bracket, said bracket being reciprocatingly mounted on said registering mechanism, and other means including a spring for maintaining a resilient pressure -on said bracket and consequently said element.

9. In a sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a. pulling device adapted to engage a sheet near one side edge and move it against a stop, and a resisting device movable to engagethe sheet near its opposite edge; said registering device including a rotatable element loosely held in a support and cooperating with a fixed abutment, the support with the rotatable element being interchangeable with an element of the pulling device.

10. Ina sheet registering mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine, a pulling device adapted to enga e a sheet near one side edge and move it against a stop, and a resisting device movable to engage the sheet near its opposite edge; the said pulling device including rollers between which the sheet is engaged and one of which is rotated by the machine, and the said resisting device including a loosely supported rotatable element; the said rotatable element being interchangeable with one of the rollers of the pulling device. WILLIAM K. ECKHARD. 

